The King lives! Forever young: The Teddy Baby The magic of

The magazine for Steiff Club members –
newS
hiStory
true VaLueS
The King lives!
Forever young: The Teddy Baby
The magic of Studio animals
Spring 2013
Nando (left) is sewn from finest russet tipped batik
chestnut mohair – a very unique fabric. He is a showcase
of the airbrusher’s art, with painting around his nose,
eyes, and ears. Alexander (right) is named for Alexander
von Humboldt, a Prussian scientist whose work centered
around botanical geography. Alexander is made of a new
mohair blend material, used for the first time by steiff
for this bear. On Alexander’s paw, an intricately made
parrot sits proudly.
2
eDITORIAL
Dear Steiff friends,
Cover:
what sets Desmond apart
is his touch of the jungle:
his paw pads are made
from leopard patterned
fabric specially milled
for this bear by steiff
schulte. standing an impressive 56 centimetres
tall and featuring a deep
growler, Desmond also
wears a leather collar that
has been covered with the
faux leopard pattern to
mirror his paw pads.
iMprint
PUBLIsHeR: Margarete steiff GmbH
Richard-steiff-straße 4,
89537 Giengen an der Brenz, Germany
tel.: + 49 (0) 7322 131555
eDITORs: Rick emerson, Inge Zinnecker
CONTRIBUTOR: Rebekah Kaufman
DesIGN AND PRINT:
Hess GmbH - Medien, www.hess-medien.de
FReQUeNCy OF PUBLICATION: four times a year
www.steiff.com
subject to changes. Reprinting and copying, even in
part, only with the express permission of the publisher.
By submitting manuscripts you consent to their
publication in the Club magazine. we must reserve
the right to edit or abridge letters or articles.
Printed colours may deviate from the original.
All rights reserved.
Printed in Germany 04/2013 e – eAN 913372
superstition and the number 13 were the subjects of my
editorial in the last issue, and I am reminded of this when
I look back at the past two months. In February – when
the editorial had already been printed – an outbreak of flu
caused much confusion to activities in the steiff Club, as
the result of which many of you were late receiving your
Club magazine. And those members who were waiting,
longingly, for their Club gift proved to be very patient. I’d
like to take this opportunity to say a big “thank you!“ to
you all. All that remains is for me to hope that there are no
further issues relating to the number (20)13.
we are still receiving lots of enquiries concerning the
dispatch of Club documents. I’d like to take this opportunity
to remind you of the postage dates for the Club magazine
and Club gift. Please read page 4 of the August 2012 Club magazine or
page 21 of the February 2013 issue.
However, a review of the first months of 2013 also shows that there were
lots of good things. Our Jungle safari was very warmly received, with all
the innovations involving Teddy bear Livingstone and Johnny and Jocko at
the spring events. And Louise, this year‘s Club edition, has been given a
warm welcome by lots of members; “Little Louise”, the 2013 Club gift, is
not often left on her own! There is also much demand for the steiff Club
place settings as seen at this year’s events. which helps us to think up new
ideas for next year ...
I hope you are able to enjoy lots of lovely sunny summer days, and also that
we will see many of you at the steiff summer from 28-30 June.
But for now, happy reading!
wITH BesT wIsHes,
INGe ZINNeCKeR
Steiff Club Manager
co n t entS
club newS
steiff Club services 2013
4
true ValueS
The magic of studio animals
16
newS
special items
5
eXPertS
Medal Art - Art medal
20
SeaS onS
something to crow about
8
club Mail
Readers’ service
22
H iStorY
Forever young
12
PaSSionS
Meeting an old friend
24
cult ure
e-mail from Peru
15
faVourit e
Mungo
27
3
CLU
B N
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CLUB
NEWS
Steiff Club services
Services 2013
2013
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the Club year 2013.
membership card, and new members will receive
it with their first set of documents.
the club magazine and product information
The 28-page Club magazine is sent to you four times a
year (February, May, August and November). you will also
automatically receive all the latest product information
from steiff with your quarterly mailing.
4
clubClub
eventsMagazine and Product Information
The
Regular
Club events
take place
in co-operation
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If you chose
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for
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At www.steiff.delike-minded
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News
Special items
Germany
King Ludwig
with
S wa n
Long live the King …
He loved music and horse riding, pomp and technology.
There are countless legends around him. And no other
Bavarian monarch is still as present in people’s hearts
and minds as he is: aged only 19, Ludwig II became the
King of Bavaria on 10 March 1864. He was the patron of
Richard Wagner, and initiated the Bayreuth Festival. He
supported flying, print technology and research, and
founded the Technical University in Munich. At the same
time, though, he was something of a dreamer, distant and
misunderstood: “I want to remain an eternal mystery to
myself and others.”
Oberpollinger presents the “swan king” in the version of
the Steiff Teddy bear “Ludwig with Swan”, made of the
finest curled mohair: fabulously dressed, bejewelled and
with a pensive look on his face.
The bear has an undeniably mysterious appeal: his eyes
are backed in royal blue felt. His chest is adorned by a
purple velvet sash with medals and a gold button. His
ermine-trimmed, royal blue velvet cape has his initials
embroidered in gold, and is held in place by a medal
chain that is gemmed with coloured stones. The
bracelet with three royal palaces brings to mind
Ludwig’s building skills in the style of the Sun
King; the swan from ‘Lohengrin’ – also made of
the finest mohair and with a golden crown – is
an homage to Richard Wagner.
“King Ludwig with Swan” is available from Oberpollinger,
Neuhauser Str. 18 in 80331 Munich.
Tel. +49 (0) 89 2901 5968, fax +49 (0) 89 2902 5768
Email: [email protected]
(EAN 673627, 60 cm,
Limited Edition of 500 pieces, RRP €1000)
5
News
UK
C o ro n at i o n B e a r
On 7 February 1952, a very young Princess Elizabeth acceded
the throne upon the death of her father King George VI
and became Queen Elizabeth II. In 2012, we celebrated the
Diamond Jubilee of this most loyal and dedicated lady.
Her Coronation took place on the 2nd June 1953 when she
was just 27 years old. To mark this very special anniversary,
Peter Jones China have commissioned this beautiful Royal
Bear, the inspiration of which comes from the famous
photograph taken by Cecil Beaton of Queen Elizabeth
in her Coronation robes and jewels. Coronation Bear
wears a blue velvet cape which is exquisitely embroidered
with the image of Westminster Abbey – where she was
crowned. On her paws there is also detailed embroidery
of the Coronation Crown as worn by Queen Elizabeth
on her return to the Palace in the Gold State Coach. This
beautiful Diamond Jubilee Coronation Bear is an exclusive
from Peter Jones China. To order please contact Peter
Jones China on 01924 362510 www.Peterjoneschina.com.
(EAN 664250, 26 cm, Limited Edition of 1,500 pieces)
USA
Snoopy
and
W o o d s t o ck
on
Roof top
Charles Schulz, creator of the famous Peanuts comics,
once said that the best idea he ever had in the strip was to
move Snoopy from inside his doghouse to the rooftop. On
April 4, 1967, Schulz made another wonderful decision:
to give Snoopy a sidekick and assistant in the form of
Woodstock. At Steiff North America, we’ve brought these
two pop culture icons together once again for a very special
collectible item. It’s Snoopy and Woodstock enjoying each
other’s company on the doghouse roof. Both Snoopy and
Woodstock are made from genuine mohair. The doghouse
is sewn from 100% wool felt and features silkscreened
details. As a part of the ongoing series of Peanuts
collectibles, this is one treasure you won’t want to miss.
(EAN 682360, 22 cm, Limited Edition of 1,500 pieces)
How to reach the Steiff Club in the UK:
Leyla Maniera, Margarete Steiff UK, Astra House, The Common, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8RZ,
tel.: +44 (0) 1483 266643, fax: +44 (0) 1483 266650, e-mail: [email protected]
6
News
USA
T h e P o l a r E x p r e ss
Conductor Teddy Bear
Based on the novel by Chris Van Allsburg, the film version
of “The Polar Express” burst onto the entertainment
scene just 10 years ago. It instantly became a classic. In
celebration of a decade of joy, Steiff presents “The Polar
Express” Conductor Teddy bear, officially licensed by
Warner Brothers. Our light brass mohair bear wears a royal
blue jacket with gold trim, a hat adorned with a real brass
plate, and carries a pocket watch - with a customized face
designed to look just like the watch face in the book and
the film!
(EAN 682315, 30 cm, Limited Edition of 1,500 pieces)
USA/UK/Ireland
W i ck e d W i t c h
of the
West Teddy Bear
“I’ll get you, my pretty ... and your little dog, too!” With
this immortal line, the Wicked Witch of the West cemented
her place in movie history as one of the greatest villains
of all time. Over the decades, audiences have grown to
love this colourful character – making her second only
to Dorothy in terms of popularity. As the third in our
series of “The Wizard of Oz” collectibles, we’re pleased to
present a mohair Teddy bear version of the Wicked Witch
of the West. Dressed in black satin from head to toe,
her gown is a miniature replica of the one in the film.
Atop her head sits a satin hat that is custom made just
for this bear. Her green mohair was custom-dyed
to match the witch’s makeup colour in the film.
Around her neck, she wears a commemorative
anniversary medallion. And finally, even the
straw broom in her paw is handmade. No
detail has been spared in bringing this classic
character to life. Join us in celebrating the
75th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz”.
(EAN 682407, 28 cm, Limited Edition of
1,939 pieces)
HOW TO REACH THE STEIFF CLUB IN NORTH AMERICA:
Steiff North America, Carolyn Smith, Club Administrator tel.: +1 401 312-0080, e-mail: [email protected]
7
seAsONs
Steiff ’s beautifully
crafted replica of a
rooster from 1892
is every bit as detailed
as the original.
Something to crow about
Steiff roosters and hens are springtime favourites.
Perhaps the most beloved bird breeds in the Steiff world are roosters and hens. they are
happy barnyard friends, and as such, have been a mainstay in the Steiff catalogue from
its first publication in 1892. Appearing first in felt, they have also been made in velvet,
mohair, waterproof oilcloth, lamb’s wool plush, and silk plush over time. Steiff hens
and roosters have appeared in many forms, including as freestanding items, pull toys on
wheels, hanging toys for babies, woollen miniatures, pincushions, skittles, rattles, and of
all things, egg cosies!
8
seAsONs
The first rooster steiff launched into the world was truly a
work of art in every sense of the phrase. He was standing,
stuffed with excelsior and made almost entirely from about
a dozen hand-cut, hand-layered and hand-finished pieces
of coloured wool felt. He had an elaborate set of green
felt tail feathers and a red felt comb and wattles. His feet,
which were made from metal posable wires, were finished
in yellow felt fabric or wrapped tightly with yellow string,
giving them a very organic appearance.
Overall, this first felt rooster was produced in 12, 22, 28,
and 35 cm from 1892 through 1929. A similarly designed
steiff felt hen was available during the same timeframe.
Both this rooster and hen were made in mohair as well
when this fabric became readily available at the turn of last
century; these mohair versions remained in the line until
the early 1940’s.
Many vintage steiff collectors consider steiff’s early
felt roosters and hens an essential element of a top-tier
collection. As a result, steiff has issued several limitededition replicas of these
items throughout the years
A set of 1903 felt hen and
– most recently a 1,000 rooster skittles sold for nearly
piece edition of a 22 cm
$28,000 in 2010 at auction
rooster from 1892 in 2007.
at Christie’s in London
Additionally, this design is
so coveted that a spectacular, almost “like new” set of 1903
felt hen and rooster skittles sold for nearly $28,000 in 2010
at auction at Christie’s in London.
After a wartime related shutdown in the mid-1940’s, steiff
began producing roosters and hens again in the early 1950’s.
The company updated both its pre-war mohair rooster and
hen models and relaunched them in 1953.
...
9
S e a s on s
right:
Selection of early 1950’s
hens in various sizes.
Both birds were standing, unjointed, joyously coloured, and
made from mohair with felt feather detailing. Differences
between the pre- and post-war rooster and hen models
included size and construction. The pre-war rooster model
was available in four sizes, while the post war model was
available in three. The pre-war hen was produced in three
sizes, while the post-war hen was only available in two.
And in terms of assembly, for both the rooster and the
hen, the pre-war models were made from patched mohair
for their coloration, while the post-war models were made
of one face of mohair that was elaborately airbrushed for
coloration.
Steiff also created more
“functional” rooster- and
­hen-themed products as well.
Early catalogue page
of felt and velvet
egg cosies. The large
hen (center) was
meant to hold six eggs.
10
Steiff’s roosters and hens have been featured in many other
ways over the past six decades. Over time, but especially so
in the 1950’s and 1960’s, it was common for Steiff to create
hand puppets based on its most popular freestanding
designs. Such was the case with its roosters and hens. In
1968, Steiff launched both a “Hand Hahn”, or rooster hand
puppet, and “Hand Henne”, or hen hand puppet. The
rooster was 18 cm, made from green, black and tan mohair
and was based on Steiff’s traditional rooster design. The
hen was 17 cm and made from white mohair. The rooster
and the hen had identical yellow plastic beaks and red felt
combs and wattles. Both birds were in the line through
1974, and despite their “relative” newness, are highly
desirable from the collector’s standpoint today.
seAsONs
steiff also created more “functional” rooster- and henthemed products as well. At the turn of last century, the
company produced a wide range of felt rooster and hen
themed egg cosies, coffee cosies, and even “carnival caps”
which were party hats to wear for fun. More recent, and
playful, examples of steiff’s functional roosters and hens
would be Kiki Hahn or Kiki Rooster and Gacki Huhn or
Gacki Hen. Both are 20 cm, unjointed, and made from
knitted fur. Their faces are detailed with black button
eyes, beige felt beaks and red felt combs and wattles. Kiki
has a large spray of green tail feathers, while Gacki has
a simple rounded “tail end.” Both of these birds have a
hidden secret. Despite their larger, plaything scale, each is
designed as an egg cosy via a hollow pocket sewn into their
backs. These “functional fowl” were in the steiff line from
1978 through 1981.
from top to bottom:
Rooster (36cm)
and Hen (32cm),
both from 1996.
Made of woven fur.
Kiki Rooster made
from knitted fur.
With pocket sewn
in back. 1978-1981.
20cm.
Gacki Hen. 20cm.
1978-1981.
Made of knitted fur.
Hens and roosters also made their appearance as tiny,
beloved “woollen miniatures” or “woolies.” woolies
debuted in the 1931 line. Just a few years later, in 1938,
steiff produced a 9-cm sitting woolie rooster and hen and
an 8-cm standing woolie rooster and hen. All four of these
playful models had black and white “googly” style eyes.
Both the standing versions were brought back into the
line in 1949 and remained there through 1978 in practically
the identical design as their pre-war relatives with one
“footnote.” From 1971 onward, both the hen and rooster
were manufactured with plastic, not metal legs.
It is easy to see why many collectors choose to feather their
nests with steiff’s ravishing roosters and happy hens. In
many ways, these farm friends double as decorative focal
points . . . they are colourful, playful and don’t take up too
much space given their sizes.
11
H i s tory
Teddy Baby with
closed mouth shown
in a 1929 catalogue.
12
H I s T O Ry
Forever young
Teddy Baby still delights the young and young at heart.
Teddy baby
assortment from
the late 1930‘s.
Here’s a riddle for you. What beloved Steiff design is over 80 years old, yet is still considered
a youngster? Steiff’s teddy baby, of course! this particular teddy bear pattern has been a
collector’s favourite since its debut in 1929, and has been produced on and off in the line
ever since.
Cocoli baboon, 1952-1957.
Teddyli, 1955 - 1957.
Rare Teddy Baby
tumbler, 1937 - 1942.
you cannot help but smile when you look upon a Teddy Baby. This design has been
manufactured in a number of slightly varying designs and materials over the years.
early Teddy Baby designs featured bears with open as well as closed mouths.
However, all steiff Teddy Baby bears have three things in common: a distinctive,
well defined muzzle; flat, broad, clawed feet made for standing; and sweet,
toddler-like features. Pre-world war II, the standard line, five-way
jointed Teddy Baby was made in 13 different sizes, from 9 to 65 cm.
Teddy Baby was introduced in the late 1920’s and his design
reflects common steiff details of the period. Like his friends
13
H i s tory
Molly the Puppy and Bully the Bulldog, also introduced
in the 1920’s, Teddy Baby has a round, and childlike face;
large innocent eyes; and a playful, lighthearted personality.
Following his successful launch into the line, Steiff used the
basic Teddy Baby pattern on several additional products
over the next few years; these included a hand puppet,
dressed doll-bear, night dress bag, and a delightful 20 cm
roly-poly toy.
It is interesting to note that when Steiff introduced its
first panda into the line in 1938, the design of this black
and white cub design shared many of Teddy Baby’s most
noteworthy features, including childlike proportions, an
open mouth, flat feet, and downcurved paws.
Selection of 1950’s
Teddy Baby variations.
14
Teddy Baby was one of the very first items Steiff started
producing when the factory in Germany opened after the
war in the late 1940’s. Due to limited supplies and logistical
complications, he was made in artificial silk plush material
in 1948. Then, once supplies and operations were back in
order, he was produced in blond or brown mohair in 9, 22,
28, 30, and 40 cm in the identical pattern made before the
war. All sizes over 9 cm came with a leather collar with a
bell. Brown Teddy Babies had red collars and blond Teddy
Babies had blue collars.
To keep up with collector’s demand and interest, Steiff also
produced a few additional Teddy Baby themed items in the
1950’s and early 1960’s. These included a hand puppet, a
dressed Teddy Baby girl doll music box with a cylindrical
body, and pairs of boy and girl Teddy Baby dolls in
stylized cotton dirndls and lederhosen. One of the more
rare and collectible Teddy Baby inspired treasures was
Teddyli, who was only in the line from 1955 through 1957.
Collectors undoubtedly can recognize his sweet face and
head design as that identical to Steiff’s classic 9 cm brown
mohair Teddy Baby. His body was molded in one piece
from rubber. He was head jointed only and wore a tan,
purple, and green short sleeved cotton shirt and orange felt
overalls. The overalls were permanently snapped together
with two silver button studs. His shoes were part of his
molded rubber legs; they were painted brown and had
brown felt soles.
Post war, five ways jointed original Teddy Babies remained
in the Steiff line from 1949 to 1957, although due to their
ongoing popularity with collectors, have been replicated
many times in numerous limited edition series - most
recently with “Teddy Baby Blue,” the 20 Year Loyalty
Edition available exclusively to Steiff Club members.
Cultur e
E-mail from Peru
Greetings from Steiff’s Lori Parrot.
Hello, my Steiff name is Lori Parrot, but I really am known in the bird world as a Blue
and Gold Macaw. I am writing to you from Peru. Most wild macaws live in the woodlands
of tropical South America; that also includes Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. In real life,
Macaws usually range in size from 76 to 86 cm and weigh 900 to 1,500 grams. I don’t mean
to sound conceited, but we are indeed famous for our beautiful plumage, intelligence,
loyalty, and ability to talk. And here’s something about Macaws that you probably didn’t
know - we blush! That’s right... the white areas on our faces are not covered in feathers,
and when we get emotional, our cheeks can turn from white to pink!
Let me give you a bird’s eye view of my country. Peru is only the fifth largest in South
America, but still is quite diverse geographically and weather-wise. We have the Pacific
Ocean on our western coast, the Andes Mountains, highlands, and the Amazon rainforest
to the east. Historically, we are home to many ancient peoples, including the Inca empire.
You may have heard of Machu Picchu, or the “City of the Incas;” it is perhaps the most
familiar landmark of Inca civilization. I have not yet
been there myself, but would love to fly out
and see this 15th century estate built
for an emperor firsthand! Peru was
under Spanish rule for many years,
but gained independence in 1821.
Spanish is still our most common
spoken language, but quite a few
of our citizens speak other native
languages. Today, I am proud to
say that Peru’s dynamic culture
influences literature, cuisine,
and musical trends across
the world.
15
T R U e VA LU e s
The magic of studio animals
Dreams that are larger than life.
Steiff Studio
Basset Hound with
googly eyes the size
of golf balls!
1960 and 1967.
Chef ladybug,
80 cm, for the
Käfer Delikatessen
company.
there’s something quite magical about
walking into a room that has life-sized,
or Studio, Steiff animals in it. or viewing
a department store display featuring the
company’s true-to-size creations. Steiff’s
Studio pieces have universal appeal and
have appeared in museums, exhibits, and
countless window displays from new
York to toyko to berlin - and everywhere
in between. Studio animals always add
tremendous joy and excitement wherever
they are. as a matter of fact, when the
new Steiff Museum opened to visitors a
few years back during the Steiff Sommer
festival, a receiving line of Studio sized
animals greeted visitors along the red
carpet entranceway! today the museum
features an impressive display of Studio
animals for visitors to enjoy as part of its
ever-changing exhibits.
so what exactly does steiff mean by
“studio?” In general, a studio item is lifesized, or designed specifically for display
purposes. In the case of “life-sized”
animals, if in nature a tiger is almost 6 feet
long, then the steiff studio tiger would be
almost 6 feet long. In the case of a display
product, an item may be produced in
exceptionally large proportions in order to
make a statement in a window display. For
example, steiff has manufactured an almost
3-foot-tall standing studio ladybug for a
German chain of cafeterias and a two-and-a-half-foot-tall sitting “Hush
Puppies” style Bassett hound, among many other treasures.
steiff has been producing a wide range of extra large items since
the turn of last century. early on, these often were special orders
for high end retail stores, global expositions, or toys for
the children of royalty across europe. since the early
1900s, studio items have been produced in a special,
high-ceiling building on the steiff campus. Today, it
is simply amazing to walk into this building and
see herds of life-sized reindeer, families of truly
authentic grizzly bears, and other incredibly
lifelike, and life-sized, zoo inhabitants all under
one roof.
16
T R U e VA LU e s
A tremendous amount of time, planning and craftsmanship
go into producing all steiff studio items. Many of the
larger studio pieces have an interior metal-framed skeleton
which is generally strong enough when new to support a
regular-sized adult. Many studio pieces are carefully hand
stuffed with excelsior, a delicate and time-consuming
process given that the tool used for the stuffing is a long
metal or wooden “poker” stick that can easily pierce the
mohair or plush fabric “skin” of the item. Depending on
the size of any given studio item, it may take a strong
man up to two weeks or so to stuff and sculpt an item by
hand. After an item is stuffed, it is then touched up with
airbrushing, facial detailing, and claw or body embroidery.
In some cases, like horses, camels, and elephants, pieces
...
17
T R U e VA LU e s
may be fitted with clothing or accessories such as blankets,
saddles, reins, or head dresses. Clearly, the production
process is very labour intensive, and as a result, it is
extremely costly to make these studio sized items.
Many highly collectible, lifelike mohair steiff studio
pieces were manufactured in the 1960’s - perhaps the
heyday of steiff’s studio production. Famous examples
from this period include zebras, tigers, lions, elephants,
camels, walruses, and primates, among a virtual Noah’s
Ark of other species. One of the largest series of steiff
studio animals ever produced may have been a collection
of “almost” life-sized dinosaurs in the late 1950’s and early
1960’s.
Many highly collectible, lifelike mohair
Steiff Studio pieces were manufactured in
the 1960’s ...
These included a studio Pterodactyl and stegosaurus,
each spanning more than 10 feet long from nose to tail.
The Pterodactyl was made from tan and red mohair, had
an open leatherette beak and claws, green glass eyes and
was stuffed with excelsior. stegosaurus was made from
carefully airbrushed mohair, had an open felt lined mouth
with a prominent red felt tongue and fangs, brown glass
pupil eyes, was neck jointed, and had rubber claws.
Today, both are as rare as a new dinosaur fossil
discovery!
Rare and valuable
Studio T-Rex from
the late 1950’s.
18
steiff studio animals are not limited editions in
the traditional sense of the word, but because
of their size, cost and production logistics, very
few were, and are, made per year. As a result,
sometimes a vintage steiff studio item that does
not appear to be noted in the standard steiff
reference materials will surface on the collector’s
market. How can that be? It is very possible
that any given studio
T R U e VA LU e s
A selection of Studio
items from roughly the
1980 period
piece was produced in a very limited run as a special order
for a store as a display piece or as part of a window display.
sometimes these custom pieces just weren’t recorded as
part of the general inventory, which makes them even more
special to collectors.
you don’t need a palace sized room in your home to own an
example of a steiff studio item. even enthusiasts with very
small spaces can welcome steiff studio animals into their
collections without having to sacrifice too much square
footage on their behalf. Interestingly, some of the most
authentic steiff studio items are birds. Over time, steiff
has created beautiful studio storks, parrots, seagulls and
geese, among many other feathered - and relatively small
scaled - friends. Perhaps the smallest steiff studio item
on record is Paddy Puffin, who is all of 26 centimetres! It
would not be a problem to find a place in your home - and
your heart - for him!
19
e X P e RT s
Medal art – art medal
The creation of the Margarete Steiff medal.
as all Steiff lovers are aware, Margarete Steiff’s deeds were amazing. Her recognition in
the medal series “inventors and tinkerers from baden-württemberg” (see the february
issue) shows just how appreciative baden-württemberg is of her skills and achievements
as an inventor. but how are these high relief silver works of art made?
20
1
when the choice was made for Margarete steiff, artist Professor Ulrich Böhme was
commissioned to design the motif. Prof. Böhme lectures in subjects including the
principles of design and presentation methods at Coburg University. He has been taking
part in design competitions for memorial coins in the Federal Republic of Germany for
many years now, and has won several of them. Prof. Böhme: “Designing a medal is always
something special. The basic round shape is quite a challenge with regard to legibility and
aesthetics.” Margarete steiff’s guiding principle was amended slightly, with the agreement
of the steiff family, to improve the design options.
2
After Prof. Böhme had optimised the design drawing, the artistic work was carried out
by master engraver werner Mebert. He is one of the best engravers in Germany, and has
been designing coins and medals for the Federal Mint of Baden-württemberg for over 30
years. He made a plaster model in three dimensions, working in close co-operation with
Prof. Böhme. The plaster model is made entirely by hand using the finest tools, and takes
several weeks.
e X P e RT s
3 The steel die stamps are then made from the plaster model
on a reduction copying machine.
2
4 The precious metal is put in these stamps and shaped in a
coining press at a pressure of 400 tons. All the details of
the high relief are transferred to the medal, which is then
finished by skilled hands.
5 The hand-applied patina enhances the contours, and an
invisible varnish protects the elegant metal against the
ravages of time.
you can purchase the resulting medals from the
steiff Museum in Giengen and on the online shop of
the Federal Mint of Baden-württemberg,
www.staatlichemuenzenbw.de.
1
3
4
5
21
Club M ail
Readers’ Service
Do you have a question about something in your collection? Learn more here!
Do you have a new or vintage Steiff treasure that you would like to learn more about? The Steiff Club is here to help!
Just send along a brief description of the item, its article number (from the back of the ear tag), a clear, high-resolution
photo, your name and your home town to the following address:
Margarete Steiff GmbH, Attention: “Club-Post”, PO Box 1560, 89530 Giengen an der Brenz, Germany,
or e-mail to [email protected], or [email protected]
Question:
My Mom gave me these two little dolls, which she had kept in a
drawer for many years. They were a gift to her from my father many
years ago. They look like the Mecki and Micki hedgehog dolls, just
smaller. What can you tell me about them?
ERA, Berlin, Germany
Answer:
What you have is a set of Steiff’s Alpo and Alpa dolls. Each
doll is 10 cm and made from rubber. The bodies are lined in
wire, so each limb is flexible. Alpo is the boy and he wears
a little felt hat, grey pants, a white shirt, green suspenders,
and black shoes. He carries a little backpack on his back.
Alpa is the girl and she wears a green hat and skirt, white
blouse, calico apron, and a black belt. She sweetly holds
a flower in her hand. These dolls are indeed “cousins” of
Steiff’s famous Mecki and Micki hedgehog dolls. They
were produced in this size and in 1964 only, and as a result,
are exceptionally hard to find.
Question:
I found this sweet Steiff puppet in an antique store. It certainly looks
like a Steiff bear, but I have never seen one with a sailor’s cap. Is his
outfit original to Steiff?
JL, Sydney, Australia
22
Answer:
Your lucky find is Steiff’s Hand Seebaer or Hand Bear
Sailor (7078/17). He is 17 cm and made from golden
yellow coloured mohair.
His head is hard stuffed
with excelsior, while the
rest of his body is floppy.
His paws are made of tan
velvet material. His face is
detailed with large black
and white google eyes and a
black plastic nose. He wears
a very handsome navy blue
captain’s hat. This item was
produced only from 1972
through 1975. Bear Sailor
was one of the characters of
German children’s author
Wolfgang Buresch, who
produced and acted in many
TV programmes for kids
from the 1950’s onward.
Question:
I received this funny Steiff dog
for a birthday present when I was
just a child. I think it is a pug, but
I have always wanted to learn
more about it.
MK, Chicago, IL
Answer:
Your Steiff “friend for life”
is none other than Steiff’s
Ball Mopsy (4616,00).
Mopsy (which means pug in
Club M ail
German) is 16 cm, sitting, and made from tan and brown
dralon. She has a patch of tan mohair on her chest. She
is heavy bottomed (like a ball) and head jointed. Her ears
are lined in brown velvet. Mopsy’s face is detailed with
large brown and white googly style eyes, a black hand
embroidered nose, and a pink felt tongue. Mopsy was
produced in this size only in 1960-1961; other ball animals
of the same period included Sula the cat and a rabbit.
Question:
I have always loved Steiff ’s cats, and thought I had all of them in
my collection until I came across this one! I think that this is a Steiff
sleeping Siamese cat. What can you tell me about her?
AR, Toronto, Canada
Answer:
Your birthday gift is Steiff’s standing tan
pronghorn antelope named Yuku. He is 22
cm, unjointed, and made from tan mohair
which has been airbrushed with blond and
brown highlights. He has a simple black
hand embroidered nose and mouth. Yuku
has great horns which are made from tan
rubber, velvet lined ears, and black eyes.
His long skinny tail is made from what
looks to be a thin pipe cleaner. He was
manufactured in 22 and 35 cm from 1962
through 1963 only, and as you suspected, is
quite rare.
Question:
My wife and I found this sweet little white 22 cm Teddy bear at a
giant antique fair when we were on our honeymoon. He looks just
like a Steiff bear to me, but he doesn’t have any IDs remaining. Is our
travel souvenir indeed a Steiff bear?
RJ, Basel, Switzerland
Answer:
Yes, this is Steiff’s most unusual and seldom seen Cosy
Siamy Cat (7617,00). She is 17 cm, unjointed, lying down,
and made from grey dralon that has been highlighted
with grey airbrushing. She has closed stitched eyes and is
exceptionally soft and cuddly. Her nose is pink and hand
embroidered. She has pert ears and retains her original
monofilament whiskers. Sleeping Siamy was produced
from 1959 through 1961 in 17 cm only.
Answer:
Yes, you found a Steiff early post WW2
“Original Teddy Bear.” Teddy is five ways
jointed and made from white mohair. His
paws are made from peach coloured felt.
His face is detailed with brown and black
pupil eyes and a brown hand embroidered
nose and mouth. This classic design was
officially produced from 1950 through
1966 in 10, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 28, 35, 40, 43,
50, 65, 75, and 100 cm in white, blond,
brown, and caramel mohair. The white
colour in this smaller size is relatively rare;
congratulations on your excellent find.
Question:
My sons and I have always loved Steiff ’s wild animals, and have
even set up a miniature Steiff jungle in our family room. My family
surprised me for my birthday with this exotic Steiff antelope that I
had never seen before. What is his name and when was he made?
TS, Brussels, Belgium
23
Pa s s ion s
Meeting an old friend
UK man gets the Mecki he wanted 60 years ago!
Editor’s note:
We love hearing
from our readers!
From time to time, we
publish correspondence
from members
around the world.
The enthusiasm for
Steiff knows no
boundaries. Here we
share a letter from a
UK man who finally
made his Steiff
dream come true.
Dear Steiff Club:
Recently, my wife and I attended a Steiff Club event that
was being held at The Steiff Gallery in Bromley in Kent.
Ever since my wife became a member in 2003, we have
been attending the events and we always look forward
to our visit. For us, it’s a lovely day out which involves
travelling by train from where we live, known as Elstree
and Borehamwood, which is situated just north of London
about twenty miles, in Hertfordshire. The whole journey
takes about one hour.
It’s always a pleasure going to these Club events where
they make you feel welcome in a very pleasant and friendly
atmosphere. We also appreciate all the time and effort that
goes into preparing the event, especially the little presents
and very enjoyable refreshments. Thank you to the staff at
the Steiff Gallery!
24
By the time everyone was seated and had something to
eat or drink, Ian Munro (Steiff’s Director of International
Sales) was ready to start at 11:00 a.m. He began by playing
a recording of a short story that had been produced and
recorded by the BBC in 2011. It was called ‘The Great
Teddy Shipwreck Mystery’. It was all about a consignment
of bears that were sent by ship in 1903 from Germany to
America – only to have them disappear! It was claimed
that these bears were the first ever made and would now be
the most valuable in the world. So what happened to them?
Ian was able to demonstrate and complement the story
with some wonderful and interesting Steiff-related
pictures which made the story even more interesting.
As we gradually progressed through the story, I noticed
the mention of the S.S. Hannover, which was known to
have carried this particular consignment of bears that
Pa s s ion s
disappeared. At the end of the story, it was time to get
down to the real business of the event—the business of
presenting the new Steiff products! Ian and the Gallery
staff all did a fine job, as always!
After all the hard work of demonstrating all the new
products it was sadly time to call it a day. This is where I
had a chance to chat with Ian about the story of the missing
bears. I told Ian that it was very strange that the name of
the ship that was mentioned, the S.S. Hannover, because
it reminded me of my birthplace of Hannover in Germany
in 1946. I remembered that as a child I often went to visit
my German grandmother who was known to us as ‘Oma’.
In the early 1950’s, she used to take me out to visit the big
shops in the town, including Karstadt and Kaufhof, to
name just a few.
It was whilst we were out when I came across this lovely
little character known as ‘Mecki’ the hedgehog. I fell in
love the first moment I ever saw him. He just stood there
looking up at me with his little piggy eyes and cheeky little
smile, wearing these rather patched up clown-like clothes.
His arms were held out as if he was begging
for me to pick him up and buy him!
This prompted me to tug on my
grandmother’s arm, telling her that
I must have this Mecki! ‘No, no,
no,’ she would say in German.
‘It costs far too much!’
That wasn’t to be my last
involvement with my dear
little friend Mecki. During my
stays with my grandmother
in the 1950’s, Mecki was
everywhere we went or
visited. There he
was, standing in
a shop window
or someone’s
home. I just
had to have
one!
In those days, my grandmother and most German citizens
never had or couldn’t afford a television. It certainly was
a rarity. They just got on with their lives and listened to
the radio. I remember my Oma buying the Horzu (Listen!)
magazine, which was a TV and radio guide. In 1959 it cost
50 pfennnings and it always had a themed picture of Mecki
on the cover. On the inside, he was portrayed as a cartoon
character.
In the year 2000, my wife and I were visiting Harrods in
London to collect her limited edition Rose Tavern bear. It
was while we were there that we decided to look around
at the other wonderful Steiff merchandise. Suddenly, my
eyes lit up when I saw my old friend Mecki! There he was,
standing just as he did when I first saw him in the 1950’s.
He had the same little piggy eyes and cheeky smile, but
this time he wasn’t alone! He had gotten married and had
two children since the last time I saw him!
I wasted no more time and bought him then and there! He
was a limited edition from 1952. In 2001, he was joined by
Mrs. Mecki, another limited edition. They also have two
lovely little children, ‘Mucki’ and ‘Macki’. Now, 60 years
later, my family is complete!
My wife Elena has been a serious Steiff collector and
member since 2003 and I have always supported her hobby.
I, myself, have been reading many of her books about the
Steiff company history.
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the
Steiff company for all your loyal and dedicated hard work.
You are keeping up the Margarete Steiff tradition. If she
were alive today, she would be proud!
Best wishes,
Victor and Elena Rowntree
United Kingdom
25
FAV
V eONUUReIsT e
Events
Club events and other dates.
Other dates
28-30 June 2013
Steiff Sommer,
at Margarete steiff GmbH,
Giengen an der Brenz
29 June 2013, 18:00
Steiff special auction
Bürgerhaus schranne,
Giengen an der Brenz
Organizer:
Teddy Dorado GmbH,
Marienstrasse 2, 53343 wachtberg
Tel. + 49 (0)228 207 6758
Fax: +49 (0)228 207 6759
Great britain
6/6
QVc Show
8/7
QVc Show
9/7
Steiff Gallery contact Karen Tel: 0208 466 8444
9/10 + 9/11 ashwood nurseries, west Midlands,
contact Claire Passey, Tel: 01384 275955
10/20
Gorge bears, somerset Tel: 01823 332050
10/26
Harrods, London with special guest Joachim steiff,
contact toy enquiries on 020-7730-1234 ext 3222
11/22
QVc Show
Subject to change. Please contact the Club stores for further information.
You will find further dates and addresses of Club stores at www.steiff.com (column News/events).
The dates of the Autumn events in Germany will be published in the August issue, and will be online at www.steiff.de from the middle/end of June.
20 July 11:00-17:00
21 July 10:00-17:00
international Sea bear festival
Lindau/Lake Constance
Organizer:
Christine spies,
Max-Fremery-str. 3a, 50827 Cologne
Tel. +49 (0)221 530 6353
Fax +49 (0)221 530 5689
www.seebaeren-festival.de
Jungle atmosphere at the Spring event
at the Galeria Kaufhof, Stuttgart
Happy winners of the Jungle competition at the event in Kevelaer.
The Steiff Interessengemeinschaft Kevelaer, founded in March 2010, is planning
a trip to Giengen on 10 September to visit the Steiff museum and the house where
Margarete Steiff was born.
If you are interested, please contact Dieter Jung fer, Jung fer Vertriebs GmbH,
Hauptstraße 43, 47623 Kevelaer, Tel. +49(0)2832 971 6179, fax: 972 0113
26
Favourit e
Mungo
The multicoloured monkey makes a return.
People who love and collect Steiff can be any age at all. And many adult
collectors have loved the brand since they were children! Passing down
treasured Steiff toys from generation to generation has always been part
of the Steiff legacy. Today, it is not unusual for parents and grandparents
to want to give their children and grandchildren the exact same Steiff
Teddies and animals they played with in their younger days. That’s why
Steiff has designed a special soft plush line based on the designs of some of
the most beloved and favourite items from the past. These friends are the
perfect way to show youngsters that Steiff Teddies and animals truly are
“intergenerational friends for life.”
The original Mungo the multicoloured monkey made his debut in the
Steiff line in the late 1950’s. He was an immediate sensation, due to his
unexpected colouring, playful personality, and of course, his stunning blue
and black pupil eyes. Mungo’s design was based on the Mandrill, a primate
with dramatic facial features and colouring. Legacy Mungo was head jointed
and produced from 1957 through 1971 in 17, 25, and 35 cm. Depending on his
size, he was made from mohair or dralon; in either case he was charmingly
airbrushed with green, blue, orange, and brown highlights. Like many of
Steiff’s most popular characters, Mungo was also manufactured as an 18 cm
mohair puppet from 1957 through 1971. This classic design is so loved by
collectors that Steiff reintroduced a 22 cm Mungo replica in 1995 through
1998.
Please say hello to Steiff’s new Mungo for 2013.
Mungo is 24 cm, unjointed, and sitting,
and made of finest woven plush. Like
his forefathers, Mungo features
large black and blue eyes and
glorious, colourful airbrushing.
These colours have been updated
to include bright new shades
of green and teal, in addition
to his traditional orange
and brown highlights. You
can’t help but fall in love
with his adorable, realistic
hands and feet - complete
with finger and toenails and happy, face-framing
longhaired mane. Designed
for fun and play, Mungo
would make an ideal gift for
a special child in your life.
Mungo debuted on
the cover of the
Steiff catalogue in
the late 1950’s
27
Margarete Steiff GmbH, Richard-steiff-straße 4, 89537 Giengen an der Brenz
913372
www.steiff.com